The confluence of rapid technology developments in
microelectronics, telecommunication, computers, networking
and displays is making it possible to conceive of systems
that offer new ways for people to interact and collaborate.
Multi-user networking allows team collaboration for both
application development and simulation while hardware and
software modularity bring economy of scale. Advances in low
power technologies and high energy density storage devices
is making it possible to move these technologies off the
desk and into the hands of mobile individuals. The human
interface to these technologies is still largely unexplored
but offers significant potential in applications that have
a need for flexibility, improved information flow, and
group participation at reduced costs.
<p>This objective of this project is to develop a system
that will increase performance and reduce costs associated
with the interaction and collaboration of people who are
remotely located from each other and who are engaged in
team-oriented work. The Mobile Electronic Conferencing
System (MECS) is designed to solve a problem facing a large
(fictitious) manufacturing firm, Macropolis, that has a
large percentage of mobile and distributedly located
employees who need to confer and share data in real time.
Macropolis is not unlike other large corporations that need
to find new ways to promote more efficient collaborative
work.
<p>The concept of MECS is based upon rapidly accelerating
trends in microelectronics, displays, telecommunications,
computers, information management, etc. that will make it
possible to construct an affordable, high value-added
system for remote collaboration within the next decade.
The approach taken in this project is to design a workable
system using technology that is available now. While
current technology is limited in bandwidth, resolution,
human-computer interfaces, computational speed and energy
efficiency for portable equipment, this project shows that
a cost effective system can be designed and beneficially
used today. The MECS is designed to be modular so that new
technologies can be incorporated as they become available.
The MECS can also serve as a testbed for evaluating
alternatives and to gain a better understanding of human
factors issues associated with the efficient use and social
acceptability of remote, electronic-based, conferencing in
the future. / Master of Science
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/40790 |
| Date | 26 January 2010 |
| Creators | Harkin, Kathleen Ann |
| Contributors | Systems Engineering, Urban, E., Blanchard, Benjamin S. Jr., Pratt, Timothy J. |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Master's project |
| Format | BTD, application/pdf |
| Relation | LD5655.V851_1995.H375.pdf |
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